Switch



L. E. HENDEE SWITCH Filed June 3, 1929 Nov. 28, 1933.

2 Sheets-Sheet l @MMwi-i LEW Z- Patented Nov. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES SWITCH Lem E. Hendee, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Line Material Company, a corporation of Delaware Application June 3, 1929. Serial .No. 367,930

3 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in switches and refers more particularly to underground disconnecting switches or junction boxes.

5 Switches of this type, being usually mounted in man-holes, are often submersed in water, and to preclude the possibility of short circuits their housings or boxes are tightly sealed; and it is therefore an object of this invention to provide L a switch of the character described which may be actuated without exposing the switch elements and without opening the box in any way.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a switch of the character described which is so constructed that its operation is attended with greater safety and convenience.

And a further object of this invention resides in the provision of a switch of the character described mounted within a substantially hermetically sealed housing, and provided with means for actuating its movable switch element from the exterior of the housing and with means.

whereby the movable switch element may be locked in its open position.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated several examples of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best modes I have so fardevised for .the practical application of the principles thereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view taken through a disconnecting switch or junction box embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure 1 on the plane of the line 2-2;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through Figure 2 on the plane of the line 3-3;

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of closing the switch, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 1 illustrating a slightly modified form of my invention.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 designates a housing or switch box which is preferably cast from metal and is providedwith cable entrances 6 and 7 in opposite walls, through which cables 8 and 9 enter the interior of the box to be connected with stationary switch contacts 10 and 11, respectively. The entrances 6 and 7 are hermetically sealed by wedge shaped bushings 12 and 13, respectively, which are forced into the correspondingly shaped bores whichconstitute the entrances, by collar members 14 and 15.

The stationary contacts 10 and ll of the. switch are mounted upon'a panel of insulating material 16 which is fixed in the housing by screws 17 threaded in lugs 18 which serve to maintain the panel spaced from the adjacent housing wall. in The movable switch. element, which is adapted to bridge the stationary contacts 10 and 11 consists of two similar blades 19 secured together in spaced relation by bolts 20 which pass through aligned apertures in the blades adjacent their ends and through spacing sleeves 21. The spacing sleeves 21 are received in cut away portions- 22 in the stationary contacts when the switch is closed.

The open front of the housing is closed by a cover 23 hingedly mounted from one housing end wall, as at 24, and secured in closed position by a cap screw 25 threaded in a lug 26 extended from theopposite wall of the housing, and having a .gasket 27 which engages the edge of the housing to provide a tight seal.

The switch member 19 may be actuated from the exterior of the housing by means of a stem 28 preferably formed of insulating material such as phenol condensation product, or the like, and having a substantially bar-like cross section with one end reduced to fit the space between the blades 19 to which it is secured by a pin 29 passed through aligned apertures in the blades and the adjacent end of the stem. The outer end of the stem is slidably projected through. an aperture 30 formed in the cover member in line with the stationary contacts and at a point substantially medially thereof.

The aperture 30 is shaped to correspond to the cross section of the stem so that the switch blades 19 at all times retain their proper position relative to the stationary contacts, and is provided with spring clips 31 secured therein by screws 32. The clips 31 frictionally engage the opposite sides of the stem to restrain free movement thereof and retain it in any position of adjustment.

A hood'or cover 33 normally encloses the projecting end of the stem28 and is threaded on a boss 34; projected from the cover member 23, a 110 suitable gasket being carried by the cover member 23 to seal the joint between the hood 33 and the cover.

When it is desired to change the position of the movable switch element it is only necessary to remove the hood 33 and, if the switch is closed, engage a screw driver or other suitable tool through an aperture 36 formed in the outermost end of the stem which facilitates pulling the stem to disengage the movable switch element from its stationary contacts.

If for any reason it is desired to leave the movable switch member in its open position, it may be positively locked in such position by passing a pin 37 through an aperture 38 in the stem with its ends projected beyond the sides of the stem to be received in notches 39 formed in upstanding lugs 40 extended from the face of the threaded boss 34. During the time the switch is in closed position, the pin 3'7 is loosely received in the aperture 36 to be at all times ready for use.

In closing the switch the hood 33 whose outermost end is provided with a recess 41 shaped to conform to the cross sectional shape of the stem, is applied to the end of the stem, as illustrated in Figure 4, and pressure exerted on its opposite enlarged end. As will be readily obvious this increases the surface upon which the pressure is applied and thus facilitates the closing of the switch. I

The modification-illustrated in Figure 5 perinits the housing to be hermetically sealed at all times as the slight space between the stem 28 and the aperture 30 in the cover member, through which it projects, is tightly sealed by means of a packing] 42 compressed by a gland 43 whose aperturc corresponds to the shape of the stem. The gland 43 is moved to compress the packing by means of a nut member 44 engageable with an annular flange 45 formed on the packing gland. In this structure the friction springs 31 are unnecessary as the packing 42 provides sufiicient friction to restrain free movement of the stem through its aperture.

The above description has been limited to a structure having only a single switch, but any number of switches may be mounted in a single housing without departing from the spirit of the invention, and if desired, the housing may be filled with oil or other suitable fluid to prevent arcing during opening and closing of the switch.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which an invention of the character described appertains that I provide an improved disconnecting switch or junction box for use in underground service which may be operated with greatwhich the movable switch 'e1eni1'eht an be cured in open position.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a switch of the character described, a casing comprising a plurality of walls, an insulating member mounted in spaced relation to one of said walls, contact clips mounted on said insulatingmember, means to attach a cable to said contact clips, means to mount said cable in said walls with a damp-proof joint between the wall and the cable, a cover for said casing at a side opposite said insulating member, means pivotally mounting the cover to said casing, means retaining the side of the cover opposite the hinge assembled with said casing, said cover having an aperture therein, a second insulating member mounted in said aperture, a movable switch element mounted on said second insulating member and adapted to engage with said clips to bridge the gap therebetween, a closure member detachably connected to the cover of said casing and surrounding that portion of the last named insulating member projecting from said casing to prevent the entrance of moisture to said casing, the outer end portion of said detachable closure member upon removal from the casing and reversal of its ends being adapted to engage the second insulating member to facilitate manual actuation of the same.

2. In a switch of the character described, a housing having an aperture through one wall thereof, switch contact clips mounted within said housing, an insulating member mounted within said aperture and projecting therethrough, a switch blade mounted on said insulating member, and a cap fitting over the projecting end of said insulating member and forming a water proof joint with said housing, said cap upon removal from the housing and with its ends reversed being adapted to engage with its closed end the sec ond insulating member to facilitate manual actuation of the switch.

3. In a switch of the character described, a housing having an aperture through one wall thereof, a switch contact member within said housing, a switch blade member within said housing, one of said members being fixed relative to the housing, an insulating handle attached to the other of said members, said insulating handle projecting through the aperture, a cup-shaped cap normally engaged over the projecting end of said insulating handle and detachably fixed to said housing toform a water proof joint therebetween and said cup-shaped cap having a recess on its outer bottom portion adapted to engage the insulating handle upon removal of the cupshaped cap from the cover of said housing and an end for end reversal from its normal position to facilitate a manual actuation of the insulating handle.

LEM E. HENDEE. 

